Poll Tax Act 1697

XI. Allowance to Clerks of Commissioners.

Persons refusing to pay Rates upon Demand; Distress; And if Rate not paid within Four Days, Distress sold, &c; Persons assessed not paying in 10 Days, and where no sufficient Distress, imprisoned in Common Gaol, without Bail; Complaint of Over Rate within Six Days after Demand to Commissioners; who may examine upon Oath, and may increase or abate Rate, and to issue Warrant accordingly.

And for the careful Writing and Transcribing the said Warrants Estreats and Duplicates in due time and for making Certificates upon. Appeals or otherwise Be it further enacted That the Commissioners Clerks who shal respectively perform the same shal by Warrant under Three or more of the Commissioners Hands have and receive from the respective Receivers General their Deputy or Deputies Three Halfpence in the Pound of all such Moneys as they shal have received by vertue of such Warrants and Estreats who are hereby appointed to pay the same accordingly And if any Person or Persons shal refuse or neglect to pay the several Sum and Sums and Proportions appointed by this Act for such Persons to pay upon Demand made by the Officer or Collector of the Place according to the Precepts or Estreats to him delivered by the said Commissioners It shal and may be lawful to and for such Officer and Collector (who is hereby thereunto authorized and required) for Non payment thereof to distrain the Goods and Chattels of such Person or Persons and the Distress so taken to keep by the Space of Four Days at the Costs and Charges of the Owners thereof And if the said Owners do not pay the Sum of Money due by this Act within the said Four Days then the said Distress to be appraised by Two or more of the Inhabitants where the said Distress is taken and there to be sold by the said Officer for Payment of the said Money and the Overplus coming by the said Sale (if any be) over and above the Charges of taking and keeping the said Distresse to be immediately restored to the Owners thereof And if any Person or Persons assessed by this Act shal refuse or neglect to pay the Sum or Sums so assessed by the Space of Ten Days after demand as aforesaid where no such sufficient Distress can or may be found whereby the same may be levied in every such Case Three of the Commissioners by this Act appointed for any such City County or Place are hereby authorized by Warrants under their Hands and Seals to commit such Person or Persons to the Common Goal there to be kept without Bail or Mainprize until Payment shal be made And if any Person certified assessed or rated find him or her self agrieved with such assessing or rateing and do within Six Days after Demand thereof made complain to the said Commissioners X1 or any Three or more of them (whereof Two shal be of the Commissioners who signed or allowed his or her Rate) shal and may within Eight Days next after such Complaints particularly examine the Parties so complaining upon his or her Oath touching the same and upon due Examination or Knowledge thereof abate defaulk increase or inlarge the said Assessment and the same so abated [X2 defaulked] increased or enlarged shal be estreated by them into the Exchequer in manner aforesaid And to that end the said Commissioners are hereby required to meet together for the determining of such Complaints and Appeals accordingly.

Editorial Information

X1 the said Commissioners, in King's Printer's Copy.

X2 O. omits.